It is well known that washing and drying apparatus found in automatic car washing and drying operations are required to adjust vertically or horizontally to accommodate vehicles of different size as well as to follow the contours of a given vehicle. For the washing apparatus; i.e., the hanging felt strips or the rotating brushes, spring and counterweight systems are usually adequate but in some cases wands or other vehicle contacting devices may be employed.
In the case of the forced air type drying apparatus, commonly called a water stripper, both efficacy and efficient use of blower horsepower require that the forced air nozzles be kept in very close proximity to the vehicle. Accordingly blower nozzles having small plastic wheels have been mounted on the ends of relatively flexible air supply tubes. The wheels of the nozzles actually contact the vehicle surface and the vehicle itself pushes the nozzle up or sideways to accommodate the varying contours of the vehicle. For example Day et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,801.
It is now becoming increasing apparent that any device which contacts the vehicle is capable of marring a painted surface; i.e. the felt strip is rapidly replacing the plastic strand brush for this very reason. No satisfactory substitute for vehicle contacting devices has been found, prior to the subject invention, for regulating or adjusting the position of a washer or dryer device, particularly a forced air dryer or stripper nozzle, relative to a vehicle.